The Flintkote Company

The Flintkote Company manufactured roofing and other construction materials using asbestos. Flintkote faced thousands of costly asbestos lawsuits. It eventually filed for bankruptcy and set up a trust fund to compensate the claimants.

If you suffer from mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Currently, there is over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds set up for those who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on experienced mesothelioma attorneys in your area, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more. 

Did Flintkote Use Asbestos?

The Flintkote Company mined asbestos and used it in their products. Flintkote used asbestos to make roofing materials from the 1930s to the 1980s. Asbestos added strength and insulation to roofing and other construction materials and was very common in the industry during that time.

The Flintkote Company History

• The Flintkote Company was established in 1901. It was incorporated in 1917. Flintkote, headquartered in Massachusetts, focused on roofing materials. Its most well-known product was asphalt roofing shingles.

• As Flintkote grew, it expanded its product line to include cement pipes, siding, and asphalt for roads. In the 1940s, it started making packaging.

• In 1956, Flintkote began buying other businesses, allowing the company to produce more items, including gypsum construction products and other asbestos-containing materials. One product in particular that contained a lot of asbestos was ThermalKote, a water-resistant insulation coating.

• Despite its diversified product line, asphalt roof shingles remained its number one product. The company continued growing through the 1960s and 1970s, opening nearly 150 plants in the U.S. and in other countries.

• Flintkote continued to use asbestos in its products until 1982 and continued to distribute them through 1984.

• After facing thousands of asbestos claims, Flintkote and its subsidiary, Flintkote Mines, filed for bankruptcy. They set up an asbestos trust fund to compensate the claimants.

Flintkote Asbestos Products

Flintkote used asbestos in many of its products through the 1980s, but its roofing materials were its primary asbestos products. Asbestos use was common in the construction industry at the time. It was used to add insulation and strength to materials.

In addition to asphalt roof tiles, these products made by the Flintkote Company included asbestos:

• Adhesives
• Antisweat compound
• Asphalt
• Ceiling tiles
• Cement boards
• Cement pipe
• Cement sheets
• Cement shingles
• Coatings
• Fibrex cement
• Floor tile cement
• Flooring felt
• Hydralt protective coating
• Hydrostatic mastic
• Joint cement
• Pipes
• Rexalt roof coating
• Shingles
• Siding
• Thermalkote
• Vincor floor tile
• Vinyl asbestos floor tile

Occupations Affected By Flintkote Asbestos Products

Flintkote manufactured and distributed various products throughout the U.S. and Canada. These were primarily used in construction.

Many workers from different occupations in the construction industry risked developing illnesses such as mesothelioma and asbestosis due to asbestos exposure.

Workers affected by Flintkote’s asbestos products include:

• Construction Workers
• Painters
• Electricians
• Factory Workers
• Roofers
• Carpenters
• Plumbers
• Pipefitters
• Demolition workers
• Maintenance and repair workers

Also at risk of exposure were all those who worked in Flintkote factories making their asbestos products. These workers handled asbestos and were highly likely to have inhaled asbestos fibers.

The Flintkote Company Asbdsetos Lawsuits

Flintkote began facing asbestos lawsuits as early as the 1970s. Workers who developed asbestos illnesses after exposure to their products sued for damages.

The Flintkote Mines, a subsidiary that mined asbestos in Quebec, Canada, also faced claims and ultimately filed for bankruptcy.

One lawsuit involved two widows of former shipyard workers who developed mesothelioma. The women claimed that Flintkote and other companies were responsible for their husbands’ asbestos exopsure and resulting illnesses and deaths. A jury awarded one of the plaintiffs $1 million and the other $550,000.

Bankruptcy and Asbestos Trust Fund

By the early 1970s, the first of many asbestos-related lawsuits started against Flintkote. In a little over ten years, the company sold numerous manufacturing plants to help cover the string of claims.

To make matters worse, Flintkote’s insurance company, which helped pay the claims for many years, stopped payments in 2001.

As a result, Flintkote filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 1, 2004. Its partner company, Flintkote Mines, facing a barrage of asbestos-related lawsuits, also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

At the time, the company listed over $70 million in asbestos-related claims. Although it had already paid 350,000 claims, it still faced more than 150,000 pending cases.

As part of an amended joint reorganization plan, Flintkote created an asbestos trust fund once it emerged from bankruptcy.

Established on February 9, 2015, the Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization in Respect of The Flintkote Company and Flintkote Mines Limited was created to compensate pending and future asbestos-related claims.

Seeking Compensation if You Were Exposed to Flintkote Asbestos

Contact a mesothelioma lawyer if you worked with Flintkote products before the 1980s. They can help you seek compensation.

In addition to the trust fund, a lawyer may be able to find other sources of compensation. Workers with asbestos illnesses were often exposed to asbestos through products made by multiple companies. You could be eligible for additional trusts or lawsuits.

Additional Help and Resources for Asbestos Victims

If you’ve been injured by asbestos, keep in mind that there is a good chance that you’ll qualify for considerable compensation. Remember to fill out our form for your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area.